Contour cutter



Oct. 16, 1951 w. c. scHlLLlNG 2,571,952

CONTOUR CUTTER Filed Oct. l2, 1945 f 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 u v D (D l@ l /nve/fQr o Cr WemefSch//ng @I By his aflomeys Oct. 16, 1951 w. c. scHlLLlNG 2,571,952

CoNToUR CUTTER Filed oct. 12, 1945 v 4 sheets-sheet 2 /m/en/Of Wer/7er C Sch/#mg By his aforneys W. C. SCHILLING CONTOUR CUTTER oct. 16, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed OCL. l2, 1945 l IIL JID I INVENTOR. BY Werner CLSC/1MM); 74km MJ )ff/1M Oct. 16, 1951 w. c. scHlLLlNG CONTOUR CUTTER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. l2, 1945 Ov .El

.vw Qom mm om Lvm .W R# ml m, i@ m@ .r gm. J W Y B Patented 40ct 16, 1951 'UNITED STATES Para T y 'FFICE Y Claims. l

Thisinvention relates to devices for cutting.

#surfaces to correspond to pattern or previously j prepared surfaces and more particularly to de- -vices in -which the cutting tool or tools are guided.v by a tracing or guide device which follows thef j pattern or previously prepared surface and it is :an object of this invention to provide a device -of the class described in which the supporting means for the tracing or guide means and the:V cutting Vmeans, is adjusted by means under thel 'control of Mthe tracing or guide means so as to- .bring the movement of the tracing or guide Vmeans with' respect to its supporting means within a limited "predetermined range and thus limit to= 'this range the movement of the cutting means; '.by the guide means. t invent'ion to provide in "a device of the class-de- Itis also an object of this` scribed a guide means which can be readily adjusted relatively 'to the' cutting means yso as to provide Vfor the takingof roughing-cuts as well friction 'means forlfollowin'g lthe pattern surface.

Inthe drawings- Fig'l is a view in 'front elevation of a device iniaccordance with this invention; parts being` broken away to show other part-s more' clearly;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the structure shown in'Fig.`1; t

Figs. 3 and 3A are' vertical sectional views: taken as on lines 3-'-3 and ISA-3A, respectively of Fig. 1;

Figa-4 is a View in e1evanonof a, fragment of the structure of Fig. 1 and illustrating a modined construction;

Fig. 5 is a View in elevation of a control switch operated by movement of the guide head and a, diagram of the electrical" circuits controlled by the switchi4 Figf is a horizontal sectional view taken as on line'Ef-B of Fig. 1;

Fig'. -7 is a fragmentary top plan view at the tracer head, parts being removed to Show other partsmore clearly; I

Fig. '8 is an end yview of' the movable support for the heads as vviewed from the right in Fig. l;

Fig. 9 is a Vertical sectional view at the guide head; t

Fig. 10' is va vertical sectional View at the cutter head*v t Fig'. 11 isa'. bottom plan' View' of'th'e guide head;`

FigflZ'is a fragmentary'sectional 'View' through the kguide head;4 and' Fig-13 is a horizontal sectional view taken' 'as' i on line ISAISO Fig'f9." t

A contour cutter in 'accordance `with this inlvention-'Icomprises -fasl'fshowi'i in the drawings 'a' (Cl. gli-135) 2 'suitable standard or supporting 'fra'me on'sistin'g lof two vertically arranged members I and 2 :secured together by bois '3 and shaped' to pro'- vide vertically arranged tracks 'I a, 2a respectively for spaced carrier in'eri'ibers 4, 5. At their bo'ttoms, the members 51,12 'are joined by a base -plfate 5.a and at their tops they are joined by a rilate 6 secured I`toii'an'ges "on the members .I and '2 by bolts '8. The plate is formed' with an :upwardly projecting boss 5a which serves as a be'aring for the upper end "of the threaded,` shaft 'I-, the lower end of which is journaled in e. boss on the base plate 5a. Fixed on the upper fend fio' the shaft i2, isa gear I arranged to Abe fopera'ted in either direction by a bevel gear I4, fixed on ythe shaft of atmoto'r I5 'mounted on an lextension 'of the plate 6, `carried by 'a `bracket IS attached to the standard 'member I. The .shaft 'i2 has threaded engagement with the cai'- 'will operate fth'e carrier members 4, 5 in the -guides in, 2a. of the members I and 2, respectively,

'Secured between theca'iijei membes, 5 by bolts Il' are spaced horizontally arranged guide and supporting members IS, IQ 'which project Ito 'opposite sides'o'f the standard and havetheir fen'ds held'apart by spacing members 20, 2i respectively, secured in position by bolts 22.

Mounted' for sliding 'movement in the spaced guide members i8 and "I9 "a't opposite sides of the standard' are guide blocks 23, 2li, respectively. :The guide blocks 23 and 24 are formed with vthreaded openings to receive oppositely threaded Vportions of a shaft 25 which has its central por- .tion journaled in` a bearing block 2l floating in the guide 'member I9 at the standard and its ends journaled in the spacing members 20 and 2l. At one a hand wheel 28 is attached to the shaft 2E, operation' ofthe hand wheel 28 and "Shaft 26 providing simultaneous inward movement or simultaneous' outward movement 'of the guide blocks 23 and 24 in the guide members I8 and I9. Where it is desired to provide the guide blocks 213 and 213 with simultaneous movement to the right or to the left, as viewed in Fig. l, the opposite ends of the shaft 26 may be provided with similarly threaded portions as the shaft 26| in IFig. 4.

Mounted for verticaly movement in an opening in the guide block 23 is a tracer comprising a cylindrical Vguide head 3!) biased to its lowermost position by a spring 3l which surrounds a portion of the head 3@ of reduced diameter and is con'ned between a shoulder onthe guide head 3Q and a shoulder on, the guide block 23. At its lower end the head 39 is recessed to receive a plurality of balls '32 arranged on the perimeter of a circle having its center on the axis of the guide head 34. The balls 32 are held in position by a plate 33 secured to the head 35 by screws 34 and provided with openings through which the balls 32 project to provide bearing means readily permitting movement of the head 35 relatively to a surface on which it bears. The upper end of the head 3G is provided with a threaded portion having a square thread 35 of comparatively large pitch and a keyway 3l extending for the full length of the thread 38. The keyway 3l is engaged by a key 38 fitted in an adjustment block 39 which is set in a recess in the upper end of the guide block 23 and held against rotation by an adjustment screw which passes through a slot in the wall 23a of the recess and engages in a threaded opening in the adjustment block 39. Mounted on the adjustment block 35 is a bevel gear 4| having a threaded opening receiving the thread 36 of the guide head 3|! and held in position on the block 39 by keepers 42, 43 bolted to the block 23. rEhe keepers 42, 43 prevent vertical movement of the gear 4I with the head 3! and rotation of the head 38 is prevented by the key 38 so that vertical movement of the head 36 causes rotation of the gear 4|. Meshing with the gear 4| is a bevel gear 44 fixed on an end of a short shaft 45 which is journaled in a bracket 46 which is bolted to the block 23. On the other end of the shaft 45 is fixed a spiral gear 41 which engages a spiral gear 48 keyed to a shaft 45 but movable longitudinally thereof. The shaft 49 is journaled in spaced ears 45a` formed integral with the bracket 45 and the gear 45 is mounted on the shaft 49 between the ears 45a so as to be moved longitudinally of the Shaft 49 by movement of the block 23 in the guides |8, i9. The shaft 49 extends the full length of the supporting and guide members I8 and I9 and at its ends is journaled in brackets 25a and 2id respectively, secured to the guide member I9 by the bolts 22 Mounted for rotation in the guide block 24 at the opposite side of the standard is a spindle 59 having at its lower end a cutting head having cutting tools 52 arranged therein on a circle of equal radius to that on which the balls 32 of the guide head 3B are arranged. Within the block 24, the spindle 55 is provided with a shoulder or collar 58a which forms a seat for a ball bearing 53 against which bears a sleeve 54 having a lowpitched square thread 55 formed thereon. The sleeve 54 is prevented from rotating with the spindle 50 by keys 5S engaged in recesses in the sleeve 54 and slidably engaged in grooves 24u in the block 24. The thread 55 of the sleeve 54 is engaged in a correspondingly threaded opening in a bevel gear 53 rotatably secured in position on the block 24 by keepers 5S and 68 bolted to the block 24. The upper end portion of the spindle 50 above the sleeve 54 is provided with a keyway 50h in which there is slidably mounted a key 62o secured in a bevel gear 52. The bevel gear 62 is held against vertical movement by keepers 55, 54 bolted to the block 24. A spring y'65 confined between the gear 62 and a cap 56 secured to the upper end of the spindle 50 causes the spindle 59 to hold the ball bearing 53 against the lower end of the sleeve 54. A pinion 5l' meshing with the gear B2 and driven by a motor 68 carried by the block 24 serves to operate the spindle 50 and the cutter head 5| .v

Meshing with the bevel gear 53 is a bevel gear 'I0 fixed on an end of a short shaft 'H journaled in a bearing bracket 'I2 secured to the keeper S0. Fixed on the opposite end of the shaft '1| is a spiral gear 13 which meshes with a spiral gear 'I4 keyed on the shaft 49 to rotate therewith but movable longitudinally of the shaft. The shaft '49 is journaled in spaced ears 12a formed on the bearing bracket 'I2 and the gear 'I4 is mounted on the shaft 49 between the ears I'Za. The shaft 49 and the gear coacting with it at either end thereof therefore constitute mechanical means operated by the tracer, for moving the cutting head in like direction upon slight vertical movement of the tracer.

Fixed to the upper end of the guide head 30 is a rod 80 guided in a bracket 82 secured to the guide block 23. At its upper end the rod 8D has a pin and slot connection with a, contact or switch lever 84 which is pivotally mounted at 85 on a contact base 84 carried by the bracket 82. The contact base 86 is provided with a plurality of contacts 81 connected by circuits of diiferent resistance with the motor I5, the circuits being arranged to cause the motor I5 to operate in opposite directions and at gradually increasing speed as the lever 84 is shifted in one direction or the other from its horizontal or open circuit position in which the motor I5 is not operated. The contacts 31 are so positioned that a limited movement of the switch lever 84 is possible before a circuit is closed and the motor I5 is operated. Thus the contacts are positioned to be closed by movement of the guide head over a predetermined distance. Operation of the motor I5 operates the threaded shaft I2 to raise or lower the guide rails i8, I9, the guide head 3D and the cutter head 5|. The circuits controlled by the switch lever 84 are so arranged that the movement of the guides i8, IS by the motor I5 supplements the movement of the head 3l! due to its contact with the pattern surface so as to keep within a limited range the movements of the heads 3E! and 5| in the guide blocks 23 and 24, respectively. Thus electrical means is provided, controlled by the tracer, for moving the tracer and the cutting head in like direction upon vertical movement of the tracer over a predetermined distance. The predetermined distance is, of course, the distance necessary to close the contacts al.

in operation, a left handed pattern or model of the surface to be cut is moved back and forth beneath the guide head 3|! and the surface to be cut correspondingly is moved back and forth beneath the cutter head 5|. The spring 3| holds the guide head 3|! in contact with the pattern surface and vertical movements of the guide head 3Q, operating through the thread 35, bevel gears 4| and shaft 45 and spiral gears 4'! and 48, cause rotation of the shaft 49 in one direction or the other depending upon the direction of movement of the head 3D. Rotation of the shaft 49 causes spiral gear 74 to rotate spiral gear 13, shaft 'il and bevel gears 'l0 and 58 and, through thread on sleeve 54, te raise or lower the cutter head 5I which is being rotated by the motor 6B. The low pitch of thread 55 is such that pressure against the cutting tools 52 will not cause the thread 55 to operate the gear 58 and the ratio of gearing in the guide and cutter heads is such that the cutter head 5| moves in the same direction and for the same distance as the guide head 30. During small movements of the guide head 30 the switch lever 84 will not be moved sufficiently to complete a circuit for the motor I5 and all movement of the cutter head 5| will be the result of the operation of the gearing connecting the guide and cutter heads. Larger movements of the cutter head 30 will operate the switch lever 84 to complete a circuit for the operation of the motor i5 to raise or lower the guide rails I8 and I9 in accordance with the direction of movement of the guide head 30 so that the operation of the cutter head 5| by the gearing is held within a small range. Operation of the hand wheel.28 shifts both the guide and cutter heads across the pattern and work pieces so as to cover all parts of the surfaces thereof. Where the work is to be identical with the pattern instead of reversed, the device will be provided with a shaft, as shaft 26| of Fig. 4, having an identical thread on both sides of the standard so that the heads 30 and 5| will be moved in the same direction by rotation of the hand wheel 28 instead of in opposite directions as in Fig. 1

Where it is desired, as when a roughing cut only is being made by the cutter head, to have the heads relatively displaced vertically, the adjustment screw 48 is loosened and rotated in the slot in the wall 28a. carrying with it the adiustment block 39 and the guide head 30. Rotating the guide head 30 will cause it to be raised or lowered through engagement of the thread 35 with the threaded opening in the gear 4| while the cutter head 5| is not moved. When the desired relative displacement of the heads has been secured, the screw 40 is tightened and the heads retained in their relatively displaced positions.

What is claimed is:

l. In a contour cutter wherein a support carries the tracing and cutting elements and a motor for vertically adjusting the tracing and cutting elements thereon, a tracer comprising a guide block, a guide head movable vertically in said guide block spring-biased downwardly, a spiral thread on said guide head. a train of gears journaled in said guide block operable by said spiral thread upon slight vertical movement of said A guide head for moving the cutting element of the contour cutter in like direction, and a bracket :fixed to said guide block. in combination with electrical contacts on said bracket for controlling the vertical adjustment motor of the contour cutter, a contact arm pivotally mounted on said bracket and pivotally connected to said guide head, whereby said contacts are closed by the contact arm when the guide has moved over a predetermined distance.

2. For moving the cutting head of a contour cutter vertically with the tracer thereof, a vertically movable spirally threaded guide head constituting a part of the tracer, a vertically immovable bevel gear having an internal thread meshing with the thread of said guide head, said bevel gear being rotatable upon vertical movement of said guide head, a shaft extending between the cutting head and the tracer of the contour cutter, and a train of gears operable by said bevel gear to rotate said shaft, in combination with a non-rotating threaded sleeve for surrounding and bearing in an axial direction upon the cutter head, a second vertically immovable bevel gear having an internal thread meshing With the thread of said sleeve, and a train of gears operated by said shaft to rotate said second bevel gear to raise or lower said sleeve as said guide head is raised or lowered.

3. For moving the cutting head of a contour cutter vertically with the tracer thereof, a vertically movable spirally threaded guide head of high pitch constituting a part of the tracer, a vertically immovable bevel gear having an internal thread meshing with the thread of said guide head, said bevel gear being rotatable upon vertical movement of said guide head, a shaft extending between the cutting head and the tracer of the contour cutter, and a train of gears operable by said bevel gear to rotate said shaft, in combination with a non-rotating threaded sleeve for surrounding and bearing downwardly upon the cutter head, a spring for biasing the cutter head upwardly, a second vertically immovable bevel gear having an internal thread meshing with the thread of said sleeve, and a train of gears operated by said shaft to rotate said second bevel gear to raise or lower said sleeve as said guide head is raised or lowered, the thread of said sleeve being of low pitch to prevent pressure against the cutter head from turning said second bevel gear.

4. In a contour cutter, a frame, a supp-ort vertically movable on said frame, a tracer mechanism and a cutting headl mounted on said support, said cutting head having a rotary cutter, said tracer and cutting head being vertically adjustable by the adjustment of the support, said tracer mechanism including a tracer guide head having a circle of ball bearings on its lowermost face, a guide block mounted on the support, said guide head being movable vertically in the said guide block, a thread on said guide head and a train of gears journaled in said guide block operable by said thread upon slight vertical movement of said guide head, means operated by said train of gears for moving the rotary cutter in a like direction, electrical contacts on said guide block, means controlled by said electrical contacts for controlling vertical adjustment of the supp-ort, and lever means connecting the tracer guide head and electrical contacts, whereby said contacts are closed by movement of said tracer over a predetermined distance.

5. In a contour cutter, a support, a tracer and a cutting head mounted on said support, a vertically movable guide head constituting part of the tracer and spiral threads of high pitch on the guide head, a frame upon which the support is vertically movable and mechanical means operated by said tracer upon slight vertical movement thereof for moving the cutting head and guide head in a like direction; in combination with an adjustment block threaded on the spiral threads adapted to lock the guide head rotatably to the block, a screw in the block adjustably locking the rotary position of the block and elevation of the guide head, whereby the relative positions cf the guide head and cutting head can be adjusted for rough and finishing cuts, and electrical means carried by the support and controlled by the tracer adapted to cause vertical movement of the support, tracer and cutting head when the mechanical movement of the tracer caused by the pattern exceeds said slight vertical movement.

WERNER C. SCHILLING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Tancred Dec. 14, 1948 

